Cleveland

Expressions researched:
"Cleveland"

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- July 4, 1972, New York:

Devotee: So Prabhupāda, you'll be leaving in about ten minutes. In ten minutes.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I am ready. I can go.

Kīrtanānanda: Śrīla Prabhupāda's always ready.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Kīrtanānanda: You're always ready.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They have taken that, all bags and baggages, that's all right. I am ready. What is that Cleveland?

Kīrtanānanda: That's, I think, Śrīla Prabhupāda, there's a group in Cleveland, Ohio.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Kīrtanānanda: There is a colored lady who is leading a group, and they're dressing in dhotīs and saris, and uh, they're doing some...

Prabhupāda: So you just train them.

Kīrtanānanda: They're doing some disturbance to the temple there. And they are here. They've come to New York.

Prabhupāda: Ah, so, what do they want?

Kīrtanānanda: They want to see you.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Kīrtanānanda: This is our farm up in here. Lord Jagannātha is staying there now while He is ill. Our big Lord Jagannātha is going to Cleveland tomorrow for Ratha-yātrā festival.

Prabhupāda: Oh. It is the first time?

Kīrtanānanda: Yes. They have a big cart, and they will go down the main street.

Prabhupāda: How far it is?

Kīrtanānanda: How far to Cleveland? About 130 miles. (break) Our land is on the left side.

Prabhupāda: Oh. So this land, how you are utilizing it?

Kīrtanānanda: We are growing a kind of grass, sudan grass. Then we cut that and put it in the tall silos for the cows to eat in the winter.

Prabhupāda: In the winter this is all covered with snow?

Kīrtanānanda: Most of the winter not. We get maybe six inches during the whole winter. (break) ...a lot of land now that's not our land. We are farming a lot of land now that is not our land. We lease it, or do it on shares.

Prabhupāda: Oh. What is the share, half?

Morning Walk -- June 6, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: That's all that we want. Saṅkīrtana must go on.

Kīrtanānanda: Devotees here now Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Where from?

Kīrtanānanda: Baltimore, St. Louis, about seven vans from the Rādhā-Dāmodara party, Buffalo, Cleveland.

Prabhupāda: Occupied by devotees?

Kīrtanānanda: Yes. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...is doing nice.

Kīrtanānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: He's a very good boy.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: He's very eager to train up the new men, he mentioned in his last letter.

Prabhupāda: He is devotee. Nasty government. If somebody wants to give donation, a car, not allowed.

Room Conversation and Reading from Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1 and 12 -- June 25, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Devotee (1): These are publicity for the Ratha-yātrā. This is the article about the building, how it's the most attractive real estate in Cleveland. It's in the paint and flowers and gardens.

Prabhupāda: This year's?

Devotee (1): Yes. People would drive by the temple, Prabhupāda, and just look. They would drive by and look once, drive a little further and look twice and three times.

Prabhupāda: But San Francisco we haven't got our temple. We haven't got any temple?

Devotee (1): No. We used the photograph. We made a publicity notice, a news release, and they printed it directly. It was easier for them. The picture is of San Francisco, but the festival was in Cleveland.

Prabhupāda: There is no date? Hmm?

Devotee (1): Maybe not in that one article. Other articles, there are dates.

Prabhupāda: Is this Cleveland?

Devotee (1): Yes. There are many skyscrapers, tall buildings, there are many tall buildings, and people were looking out at the Ratha-yātrā cart and at Lord Jagannātha.

Prabhupāda: Here, the daytime is...

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: We have found, Śrīla Prabhupāda, when the buses are going to many of these cities, they have never seen our devotees, because when we go, we are dressed like they are for distributing the books. So now the boys are going again in the streets with a kīrtana party once a week downtown, and they have all done front-page newspaper articles, because although they have been reading the books, they have never seen the devotees in many years.

Garden Discussion on Bhagavad-gita Sixteenth Chapter -- June 26, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: But if their standard is demoniac to begin with...

Prabhupāda: Therefore they are selling churches. Nobody is attracted. In London city there are so many churches closed. Nobody goes.

Devotee (1): In Cleveland, also, Prabhupāda, there are so many churches, only five, ten, fifteen people attend, and they are all elderly, elderly ladies.

Hari-śauri: Due to the Pope's taking a firm stand over the not allowing abortion and contraception, like this, they said that the number of practicing Catholics was reduced from seventy-five percent to fifty percent, just simply because of that one principle that he'd stuck to. So twenty-five percent immediately left.

Prabhupāda: Where they have gone? (laughter)

Hari-śauri: Well, they gave up going to church at least.

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Hopeless life.

Prabhupāda: No, why hopeless? There is hope—Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation 'GBC Resolutions' -- March 1, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Ekala eka.(?) One man's conclusion is not good. Better consult with him. Then?

Satsvarūpa: Then for the division of the United States, for myself, for being editor of Back to Godhead, I would go to Los Angeles for that, Back to Godhead, but would also supervise the Northwest US zone, which includes Berkeley, California; Seattle, Portland, Vancouver, and the Dallas temple. Rāmeśvara Mahārāja would continue being the GBC for Los Angeles, San Diego, Laguna Beach, and Denver. Balavanta Prabhu would keep his same zone—Atlanta; the Tennessee farm; Gainesville and Miami, Florida; New Orleans and the Mississippi farm; and Houston, Texas. Rūpānuga would also keep his same zone—Washington, D.C.; Baltimore; Philadelphia; St. Louis; the St. Louis farm; Ottawa; and Montreal, Canada. Kīrtanānanda would keep his same zone—New Vrindaban, Buffalo, Toronto, Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja was accepted as your permanent secretary, and therefore, for the vacancy created in his absence in New York, Pennsylvania farm, Boston, Puerto Rico...

Rāmeśvara: And Rādhā-Dāmodara.

Satsvarūpa: ...and the Rādhā-Dāmodara party, it was decided that he should keep the responsibility of being the GBC for that area. However, Ādi-keśava Mahārāja will act as special assistant to the GBC and take the on-the-spot responsibility.

Prabhupāda: That means he'll be trained up in his place. Is it not?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Bhagavan -- Bombay 24 November, 1970:

Yes, we are fighting impersonalism and voidism with pure devotional service. Impersonalism and voidism kills the natural aptitude of devotion which is lying dormant in everyone's heart. Therefore we are printing books like our KRSNA book so that people may know it that the supreme absolute truth is a person. The perfection of every living creature is to render transcendental loving service to that Supreme Person and thereby go back home, back to Godhead. Krishna has said in Bhagavad-gita that "whoever explains my transcendental glories to others is most dear to me in this world and never will there be one more dear to me than he". So go on with your organization for distribution of my books through press and other modern media and Krishna will certainly be pleased upon you. We can use everything—television, radio, movies, or whatever there may be—to tell about Krishna and outside of devotional service all these modern paraphernalia are just so much rubbish. It is very nice that you are opening another center in Cleveland, Ohio. Please do it very thoughtfully.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Bhagavan -- Allahabad 21 January, 1971:

That you are receiving so much coverage on television is very encouraging, especially that in Cleveland your response was so good that they set up another interview. When there is repetition like that, it shows great appreciation. So far as using television coverage to present our life membership program to the public, that is first class idea. Instead of approaching the people directly, they can then approach us. So continue in this way and Krishna will give you all facility. Also I am glad to hear how the parents of one of our devotees is taking to Krishna Consciousness. Why not ask them to become our life member?

Letter to Sri Govinda -- Los Angeles 13 July, 1971:

It is also encouraging to note that you are getting such a fine house for your new temple. It is so large and on the main street of Cleveland. I can tell that you are all sincere devotees because Krishna is giving you such nice facility to serve him. So make the house very gorgeous, to the standard of our L.A. and N.Y. temples and when you are ready, Radha and Krishna can be installed there also.

So far as ordering prints of Krishna from Jayapataka, all the GBC members here agree that it is not such a good proposal. It is much better, first of all, that these prints be gotten from us just as soon as they are printed up. Also it is much more important that you utilize your valuable time and energy to distribute our magazines and books. That is real propaganda work. And the householders can earn their livelihood by distributing our books also. That is one of the points of our new book distribution program and you can get more details from Karandhara or Rupanuga.

On Friday, 16th July, I will be going to Detroit for two days. So if you would come and see me at that time, that would be very nice.

Please offer my blessings to all the boys and girls there in Cleveland. Hoping this will meet you all in good health.

Letter to Sri Govinda -- London 5 August, 1971:

So far brahminical rules for cleanliness, those I have already described in the letter mentioned by you. Brahminical means cleanliness. We are trying to create a brahminical society. So all the devotees under your care there in Cleveland should be trained up in that light. Cleanliness is next to Godliness.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Sri Govinda -- Bombay 10 January, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 12, 1971, and I am very much pleased by the enclosed pictures of your new Cleveland, Ohio, center. It is most respectable-looking and elegant, and I am very very glad to see that you have got such a nice place to conduct Krishna's business and to keep Radha and Krishna very excellently by providing them fully with nice prasadam, flowers, ornaments, etc. I think that if you order nice deities from our devotees in Jaipur that They will very much enjoy to live there, and then you can give Them all good attention befitting such nice house.

Letter to Sri Govinda -- Bombay 10 January, 1972:

I think I shall be very comfortable in your Cleveland center when I shall come there very soon. I hope this will meet you in good health and cheerful mood.

Letter to Sri Govinda -- Jaipur 20 January, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of December 31, 1971, and with pleasure I have noted that you are rivalling the West Coast centers in the matter of selling books. But I do not think that anyone can do better than they are doing. But you may try very hard, and if you are sincere enough then you may be the biggest distributer of my books and then I shall surely come there to your Cleveland center to live there in that new house. When Krishna sees that His devotee is sincere, there is nothing He cannot do to help that sincere devotee to advance towards Him. So I am engladdened to understand from your words that you are serving Krishna very sincerely, and you may know it for certain that in this way you shall very soon go back to Home, back to Godhead.

Letter to Sri Govinda -- Calcutta 5 March, 1972:

I have enjoyed your newspaper articles also, and in general I think that very soon your Cleveland center will rise above all the rest, so much so that I shall have to come to live there and translate for some time.

Letter to Friends -- Los Angeles 23 May, 1972:

So my only request is that you immediately return either to the Cleveland temple or to some other temple. You may correspond with Bhagavan das at the Detroit center, 8311 E. Jefferson St., Detroit 48214, in this connection. He is the GBC zonal secretary for that zone of the mid-west, so you may address your questions and inquiries to him. I am very much encouraged that you are all chanting Hare Krishna and trying to become Krishna Conscious. But I do not advise that you approach the matter of perfecting your life in this independent way. Unless there is connection with a bona fide spiritual master, coming in the line of disciplic succession, there is no possibility of making progress in spiritual life. So I have established ISKCON centers for the purpose of catching up the Lotus Feet of Krishna by intimate connection with the spiritual master. These are my authorized centers for that purpose. You say that whatever I instruct you you will carry out, so again my instruction is that you abandon this independent scheme and join your good god-brothers and sisters at some one of our ISKCON centers.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 1 July, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter from Cleveland dated June 26, 1972 and I have noted the contents with great pleasure. Similarly I have received such nice letters from Rupanuga and Hrdayananda, and I am very much satisfied that you are all feeling the serious nature of this Sannyasi mission. So far you are concerned, I am especially stressing the importance of our Dallas Gurukula for training up the next generation of Krishna Consciousness preachers. This is the most important task ahead. I am seeing practically how wonderful the children are coming out. Therefore, we shall be very, very vigilant and careful to maintain the highest standard of temple atmosphere and conduct in Dallas. You may install Radha-Krishna Deities and worship Them very, very gorgeously.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 24 August, 1972:

One thing is, I have just received one letter from the black devotees in Cleveland who wish start their own ISKCON Center independently of the white devotees there. In principle, it is alright, birds of a feather will flock together. We should not discourage them in any way from opening their own center, but I want you to go there and see how their things are going on and that the standard of Krishna consciousness is being maintained on the highest level. You should give them all assistance for organizing their Center and be fully convinced that they can manage everything properly and then I have no objection if they open their Center in Cleveland. These souls appear to be adhering to our principles and they are requesting someone to come and give them all good instruction, so you kindly go there and do the needful and give them all facilities such as pictures, mrdangas, and other Krishna consciousness paraphernalia.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 24 August, 1972:

It is not that we should remain separate from them as they are sincere souls and there is no objection if they want to remain separate from the white people and pursue this Krishna consciousness way of life, but I must be convinced by you that everything is being done properly before I shall be glad to give them the final sanction. As soon as hearing from you in this regard, I shall be glad to give them due initiation and my blessings so that they may continue in their own way. I am sending a copy of this letter to them and you may go there immediately to see what is the situation there. Enclosed please find copy of their latest letter to me. Their address in Cleveland is 1739 Lakefront, East Cleveland, Ohio, 44112. Meanwhile, I look forward to seeing you all my nice disciples in New Vrndavana by the end of this month.

Letter to Vasudevaya, others -- Los Angeles 25 August, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your letter from Cleveland dated August 5, 1972 duly forwarded to me from Calcutta, and I thank you very much. As long as you are following our Krishna Conscious principles I have no objection if you remain separate from the other devotees in the Cleveland Center. I have instructed Satsvarupa who is the GBC man for Midwestern USA Zone to come and visit you to see how the things are going on and give you good guidance how to keep the highest standards of Krishna Consciousness Movement. If you have any further questions or if you require anything like mrdangas, books, etc. he will give you everything. I am enclosing the copy of one letter to him in this respect.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Batu Gopala -- Mayapur 22 June, 1973:

Yes, it is pleasing and encouraging to me to hear how all your programs, book distributing, temple worship etc., are going on so nicely in our Cleveland Center. That you have distributed 10,000 pieces of literature in the last month is very impressive. It will take some time to convince the people of this highest philosophy and the only means to convince them is distribute our books profusely. By chanting Hare Krsna their rough hearts will be paved. And when we speak about Krsna it will be shown exactly like the cultivator who first of all paves the field and then the seeds are sewn and gradually they get the result.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- New Delhi 2 November, 1973:

Regarding the black lady in Cleveland, if she is actually serious about Krsna consciousness, give her a little freedom. Just behave with her a little gently, so she may be encouraged to spread Krsna consciousness amongst the blacks. Actually if she preaches the importance of this movement amongst the blacks, it will be more effective. This racial color distinction may continue, but when a devotee is actually advanced these things will disappear. Therefore we have to be a little tactful how to induce people to take to Krsna consciousness seriously. That should be our main object. Encourage her to sell books. If black men read our books, it will be a great achievement. As your President Lincoln gave the blacks equal rights, let us cooperate with them.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Batu Gopala -- Vrindaban 16 August, 1974:

Yes, you remain there in Cleveland permanently and manage it very nicely. That will please me.

Regarding the restaurant, you should not name it as you have suggested, but "Hare Krishna Restaurant." That should be the name. In each restaurant there should be the picture of Lord Caitanya, and the foods should be offered and distributed to the respected customers. There should also be a tape recorder playing the Sankirtana in mild voice.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Batu Gopala -- Honolulu 12 June, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated June 9, 1975 and have noted the contents. Thank you very much for selling so many books there. This is very much wanted. Try to sell again more and more each day. Regarding naming your Cleveland center, New Govardhana Hill is a very nice name. But as far as worshiping a Govardhana Sila from Govardhana hill, that we shall see later on.